Billy Ball

[RedTails]

What was Duke records and success before Coach K?

This ain't the gotcha you thought it was gonna be.

Duke's three seasons before Coach K:

27-7 Tourney Runner Up
22-8 Tourney Second Round
24-9 Tourney Elite Eight

[JMV JustMyView]

This ain't the gotcha you thought it was gonna be.

Duke's three seasons before Coach K:

27-7 Tourney Runner Up
22-8 Tourney Second Round
24-9 Tourney Elite Eight

I just asked a question because I don't follow college basketball or any level basketball. Didn't try to get one up on anyone.

[RedTails]

I just asked a question because I don't follow college basketball or any level basketball. Didn't try to get one up on anyone.

That's my b, definitely thought that was your angle.

[JMV JustMyView]

That's my b, definitely thought that was your angle.

Anyone that knows me knows basketball knowledge isn't my strong suit. All good.

[Turbine]

Anyone that knows me knows basketball knowledge isn't my strong suit. All good.

See all the basketball cred you gettin for just hangin with DaBoot?

Go thank the man

Or tell him he's causing confusion maybe.

[R1Letterman]

Anyone that knows me knows basketball knowledge isn't my strong suit. All good.

Then how are we to believe your hoop's skills endorsements of DaBoot?

[R1Letterman]

See all the basketball cred you gettin for just hangin with DaBoot?

Go thank the man

Or tell him he's causing confusion maybe.

Lol, or that might make many DaBoot believers start to question

[JamesTheJeweler]

Then there’s the posters that can’t let HIM go.

I hope billy and Montrell enjoy the holidays.

And if billy can’t beat LSU, he’s no use to me.

LoL! You're the one that can't let him go. You literally made a whole thread about him. He broke your heart, I understand. You can't quit him. It's sad and beautiful at the same time.

[Jacob81]

LoL! You're the one that can't let him go. You literally made a whole thread about him. He broke your heart, I understand. You can't quit him. It's sad and beautiful at the same time.

The thread was started to point out the great discipline napiers team plays with, because Dez’s teams are supposedly way more undisciplined then napiers were.

[GeauxCajuns]

Anyone that knows me knows knowledge isn't my strong suit. All good.

fixed it for ya

[R1Letterman]

True, he deals in facts doesn't claim knowledge...

By what age should someone have already dropped the y ending to names, billy, Timmy, Jimmy etc.... I thought it was between 25-30.

[JamesTheJeweler]

The thread was started to point out the great discipline napiers team plays with, because Dez’s teams are supposedly way more undisciplined then napiers were.

LoL! I'm just busting balls brother. Don't take me too serious.

[CajunFun]

The thread was started to point out the great discipline napiers team plays with, because Dez’s teams are supposedly way more undisciplined then napiers were.

I'll re-emphasize: Most coaches' teams are disciplined because the coach instills discipline.

For those of us who watched Michael play, and who have followed his career, he always brings his own, his more intense level of personal, internal drive and discipline.

That's what he's teaching his players. He's not developing a winning team, he's developing a winning attitude. And that means slowly, patiently, convincing the players to foster their own internal discipline.

Most soldiers rush into battle because everyone else is rushing in, but when blood & crap start flying, they freeze. But remember the advertisement, 'An Army of One'? Imagine facing a foe where every soldier, or every player, is internally motivated, and personally disciplined. One tackle, one play, the momentum of the game, even a lopsided score, doesn't stop or even slow a single one of them. They keep coming at you, every one of them, every play, every offensive, until it's over.

No one wants to face a team like that. Lou Holtz once noted about playing against the service academies, "They come at you every play, and they never give up." The service academies have mediocre talent. But they have the strongest drive and internal discipline in the country.

Most coaches don't shoot for that kind of a team. First of all, not many of the coaches understand it. But beyond that, it takes too long, and the product is variable from year to year, depending on how quickly and strongly the players adopt the culture.

The problem is, focusing on the kids doesn't win as many games as focusing on the score. At least not in the short term.

Eventually, though, it begins to pay off.

Remember, the kids and the university are not here to support the fans.

We're here to support them.

[jaxmc1023]

That's all fine and good, but as others have mentioned, the "internal discipline" and "winning attitude" is supposedly what we developed under Napier... and the Des hire was supposed to make sure that we continue that

Now we're back to "it's going to take a while for Des to install the right culture to succeed"

[CajunFun]

That's all fine and good, but as others have mentioned, the "internal discipline" and "winning attitude" is supposedly what we developed under Napier... and the Des hire was supposed to make sure that we continue that

Now we're back to "it's going to take a while for Des to install the right culture to succeed"

There was internal discipline and a winning attitude under Napier; I believe Michael will build it further.

Because they're not the same men, and they don't foster the same culture. Remember, Michael encouraged some of Napier's players to move on to other schools.

A lot of people here have trouble with the phrase "it's going to take a while". I am reminded of the Carey Fisher quote, "Instant gratification takes too long."

People built this rapidly rising university over 125 years through great patience, and by suffering a lot of beat-downs.

In the 1970's, students held protests because U(S)L couldn't afford light bulbs. Today we are over $400M into a half-billion fund-raising campaign.

The much-maligned Ray A. started our research push in 1973. This year we may hit $300M in research.

Ray A. also decided to roll the dice and move up with the big boys in the 1982 1A-1AA split; only UL, Tulane, & LSU moved up. We are about to appear in our 6th consecutive bowl game, and we have a coach who leads the conference in recruiting.

I have watched the Cajuns struggle, in sports and academics, since 1977. If you didn't live through all the bad times in those 4+ decades, trust me.

These are the good ol' days.

And trust me, there are bad times ahead. And great times. And most years, we will have both.

But we will never have a year in which we get everything we want.